Porthcawl lifesavers honoured at Pride of Britain awards

From left, Chris Missen, Paul Eastment both from Porthcawl and Martin Blaker-Rowe, from Poole, with their RNLI Bronze Medals

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Lifesavers from Porthcawl have scooped themselves a Pride of Britain 2013 award.

The RNLI volunteer flood rescuers were revealed as the winners of the Emergency Services accolade last Friday for their part in the rescue of a woman clinging to a branch in fast-flowing flood waters in Umberleigh, Devon last year.

Boat team leader Paul Eastment, 46, helmsman Chris Missen, 26, and Poole crew member Martin Blaker-Rowe, 34, were officially given the award at a ceremony in London on Monday.

The Flood Rescue Team were nominated for the award by Vanessa Glover, the woman rescued by the team.

She said to Daybreak: “They know how proud of them I am and how very grateful I am to be alive. I’m so grateful for this showcasing and nomination. They are volunteers, and they had driven 150miles to rescue me. They rescued me, risked their own lives and drove home again.”

The rescue took place in the early hours of December 23 where the river Taw had reached 3.5 meters above its normal range.

Mother-of-one, Vanessa had been swept from her car after it was forced off a road by powerful flood water, leaving her husband and seven-year-old son clinging to the car roof.

She had managed to catch hold of a branch but a rescue helicopter was over an hour away and initial rescue attempts were unsuccessful.

With no other options available, the RNLI’s Flood Rescue Team decided to launch.

Chris expertly manoeuvred the boat in the darkness with only the crews’ head torches and a small spotlight for help. He then carefully directed the boat just downstream of Mrs Glover, where maintaining a steady position in such conditions was extremely difficult.

Martin and Paul reached for Mrs Glover and immediately started to pull her into the boat. She was extremely cold, and it is unlikely she would have been physically able to hold onto the branch for much longer. Chris retraced his steps out into the flow and upstream.

At 1.57am Mrs Glover was successfully recovered to the shore, assessed and given first aid treatment. She had been in the water for 50 minutes.

Speaking about the conditions, Chris said: “We were called to the scene after the alert that a family were clutching to the roof of their car but the mother had been swept away.

“It was in complete darkness and the conditions were so poor that a helicopter and no other emergency services could reach her. We could hear the mother screaming for help.

“We had a discussion as a crew and decided to try to reach her. It was petrifying. It was the only job where I thought I might not make it back.”

On news of the nomination, Chris said: “It’s unbelievable and truly an honour to be nominated for this award. It is a credit to the support of local people of the town and also nationally. It wouldn’t have happened without the support.”